Clamping device



v May 5, 1925. v 1,536,310

H. RTHLISBERGER CLAMPING DEVICE Filed Aug. 11. 1924 `Patented May 5,1925. j

aaai/Laan iirHLlsERGER; F` ZURIGH, SWITZERLAND..

GLAMBING DEVICE. ,j

` animation mea August. 11, 1924. sei-mino. 731,534.

j To all whom 'it may co/noemt.'

risuona, a citi/en of Switzerland, residing at tained by two ytatable`spindle and the clamping Zurich 6, Switzerland,` have Vinvented ceritain new and useful Improvements 1n Clamping Devices, of which thefollowing is a specification.` Y,

My invent-ion relates to an `improved clamping device for any piece O'.'WOlk t0 be subjected to the treatinent'of a tool or to be kept down and`retained iii-a clamped position.v `The said improvement consists inproviding a clamp whicha'llows to the working tool a variety ofpositions with relation to the piece of work. Such varietyisobco-operating clamping means which permit the adjustment of theclamping means in an angularposition `with relation tothe piece of workto be fixed. One of said two means consists of an upright spindleturning `on a ball socket and, thereby,being adapted to be turned toevery side, vwhile the other means consistsof a flexible jointinterposed between the sa1d rojaw proper, said joint adapted to be takenasunder and` containing a. pair of ratchetwheels,` which are made toengage and to l disengage by the aid of a springinterposed.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated my invention which I amgoing to describe in the following:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of theclampingdevice, partly showiiinsection.

Fig. 21s aplan-view of Fig. 1.

`Fig. 3 is a side-elevation of the springactuated ratchet.

Fig. 4 is a lplan, of a part of the clamping arm, and

Fig.` 5 is aside-elevation of the lower part of the ratchet with `the.spring` surrounding it.

The clamping-device of this invention is composed of a few parts which,in their way of working, are different from other known clampingdevices, in that, first, the upright spindle a, supporting one end ofthe clampi ing arm` f, is turning on a foot formed by a ball ai, and,thereby, is adapted to take `any oblique `position to any side, On thescrewthrea'd surrounding said spindle, a nut c is arranged to slide upand down, said nut being made integral or rigidly fixed to a short arms, forming a flexible joint between the clamping arm f and the saidspindle a.

As will be seen `from Fig. 1, the spindle l a may be forced into anoblique :direction j Begit j known that ll, HERMANN Rrilinis' indicatedby a dotted line, and the said arm s, owing to the nut c engaging thescrewthread, `will be forced to adapt itseltI to the correspondingangular position.

The mechanism for obtaining such flexible combination, on which residesthe usefulness of this invention, will be further explainedby theworking method of the whole mechanisin. f

The clamping-device, being securedto the lied-plate of* any work-bench,exerts `its clamping pressure on the pieceofwork q'to` be clamped bymeans of a claw or claws 72, p, lwhich are` adjustable in height bymeans of a threaded spindle o, slidable within the longitudinal slot nof the clamps ing arm f, the foot of said spindle 0, sliding in a knownmanner within a groove of the bed-plate; a nut exerting a downwardpressure on the said arm f on the claw 'or claws 79, y), firmly.pressing them on the piece to be clamped.` The end of the arm fopposite to the claw p is connected by arm s to the nut o adapted tomove up and down on E NT `(Y) the thread of the spindle a. The saidspinl* `arm f which permits of adjusting the angular position of theclampingdevice and its yhiring the same inany position, simultaneouslyallowing of taking asunder its parts and for replacing the saine intothe position of use, in a most simple manner, is shown* in detail byFigs. 2, 3, 4C and 5. 0n the end of the arm 7 remote from the cliampingjaws p, rigidly connected to the nut c by the arm s, a bolt is passedwithin a fork-shaped recess of said arm s. Said fork encloses the tworatchet-disks g and g1, provided with ratchet-teeth`h, h1, the formerone g of which is rigidly connected with the cla-inping arm f, while theother disk g1 is prevented 4from turning by ia. square portion m ofthebolt e". By the tension of a spring Z surrounding the lower disc g1, thetwo discs g, g1 are pressed against each other, this making their teethengage each other.v By

adjusting the arrangement in the manner.

indicated by dash-rand-dotted lines in Fig. l, the disc g of theclamping arm f Will be turned around the bolt z', While the disc g1 isbeing` pressed back till the required position has been reached. Foropening the joint, the thumb-screw 7c is loosened and the bolt z' may beWithdrawn.

I claim as my invention:

l. In la device for adjustable clamping, the combination with asupporting spindle, of a ball-joint, a spherical seat supporting saidspindle in a. manner to turn on said ball in any direction, a clampingarm connected to said spindle by a nut turning round a thread of saidspindle, and a joint interposed in said clamping arm for adlaptingitself and the said clamping arm to the flexible motion of the saidspindle.

2. In a device for adjustably clamping, the combination with asupporting spindle,

of a ball-joint, a spherical seat for supporting said spindle, aclamping arm connected to said spindle by a nut, a joint interposed insaid clamping arm, said joint comprising a ratchet-Wheel, and a springfor tighteningand releasing said joint.

3. In a device for adjustably clamping, the combination With raysupporting spindle, of a ball-joint, a spherical seat for supportingsaid spindle, a clamping arm connected to said spindle by a nut, a'joint interposed in said clamping arm, said joint comprising aratchet-Wheel and a spring` for tightening and releasing` said joint,and a thumb-screw for opening said joint.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of twoWitnesses.

HERIIANN ROTHLISBERGER. IVitnesses Jaiion BAUMANN,

lAlsAJo Lomss.

